Growth & Jobs | Adopt safe systems approach to reduce economic impact of road crashes

Owen Smith, general manager of the Jamaica Automobile Association, wants Jamaicans to adopt the ‘Safe Systems Approach’ to reduce the level of human errors that contribute to road crashes and the economic impact it has taken on the country.

Smith made the call as Jamaica joined the rest of the world in observing World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims on Sunday.

The transport executive explained that the Safe Systems Approach is used in several developed countries, including the United States. It, among other things, accounts for the role human behaviour plays in road safety. It aims to eliminate fatal and serious injuries for all road users by taking a holistic view of the road system that first, anticipates human mistakes; and second, seeks to reduce the probability of injury to the motor vehicle operator and passengers.

It comprises five elements: safer people, safer roads, safer vehicles, safer speeds, and post-crash care.

“A World Bank Global Road Safety Facility Report, indicates that crashes represented about 4.5 per cent of Jamaica’s gross domestic product (GDP). This is a major issue since most of the victims of road crashes are males, especially young men between the ages of 18 and 49 and they make up the largest percentage of the labour force in Jamaica. Sadly, males in their productive years also make up the highest percentage of road fatalities in the country as well,” he said.

“Approximately 75 per cent of all road crash victims in Jamaica are between the ages of 15 and 64 and roughly 80 per cent of that number are males. Therefore, any deaths or serious injury as a result of road crashes will result in a loss to productivity and impact on our GDP in a significant way. It is even more devastating when you look at the impact road crashes have on families in terms of cost of care which can run into millions and also the effects of losing a breadwinner,” he added.

He added that the Safe System Approach would help the country and its citizens ease some of the burdens causes by road crashes.

“This is why I encourage Jamaicans to adopt the Safe System Approach because of its focus on the health and safety of our drivers, better roads, vehicles and post-crash care which will ultimately result in fewer fatalities. When a driver is healthy, he or she is less likely to make errors. This is why the aspect that emphasises safer people is important. Also, it would help reduce the burden on our hospitals and families because of the costs associated with treating road crash victims,” said Smith.

He explained that this approach to reducing road fatalities has existed since the 1990s and has proven to be effective.

“Countries that adopted the approach in the 1990s showed large reductions in road deaths between that period and 2017. For example, over a 27-year period, Australia had a 47 per cent drop in road fatalities. New Zealand had 48 per cent reduction; Spain saw an 80 per cent decline; while there was a 67 per cent reduction in Sweden,” added Smith.

He said the Safe System Approach is important, particularly because humans are not infallible.

“Every user of the road has a part to play in reducing road crashes. People will inevitably make mistakes and are vulnerable to errors. Some groups are more vulnerable than others. For example, transport operators, by virtue of what they do are more at risk, which is why there is need for them to be aware of the Safe System Approach,” said Smith.

The latest figures from the Road Safety Unit of the Ministry of Transport show that up to Monday the island recorded 320 road fatalities from 277 fatal collisions.